Various structures exist for absorbing or deflecting loads imposed on a motor vehicle during a side impact event. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,911 to Pavlik et al. discloses a horizontal beam extending between the front and rear of a vehicle door to increase the structural stiffness of a vehicle door. While such structural reinforcement members are generally known in the prior art, often these structures tend to add undesirable weight to the vehicle frame. Other structural reinforcement members in the prior art include complex configurations that require welding or mechanical fasteners to attach the structural reinforcement member to the vehicle frame.
Therefore, there exists a need for a structural reinforcement member for a vehicle that is lightweight and easily installed during the manufacturing process.